Sea Power: A Global Journey

This official companion to an exhilarating PBS documentary series takes readers on a sweeping voyage over the oceans of the world to explore how the sea has shaped the fates of nations.
Throughout history; people have depended on the oceans for progress as well as power. In this book Luc Cuyvers reiterates Alfred Thayer Mahan's thesis that powerful navies are an essential component in command of the sea. But like Mahan, Cuyvers emphasizes that there is more to sea power than naval might. With unerring accuracy and acumen, he explores a much vaster legacy.
Within the narrative of his uncommon ocean travels, Cuyvers skillfully interweaves the continuum of sea power, linking past, present, and future. His vision encompasses a role that extends far beyond traditional concepts to include the extraction of marine resources as well as knowledge.
More than a hundred of Cuyvers's own photographs - some displayed in a double-page format - add an immediacy to the eloquence of his prose. Through his lens the romance and vibrancy of life at sea are captured in evocative yet crisp imagery.
Each chapter of the book corresponds to a single episode from the PBS series but further defines and illustrates the subject. Readers will experience life and work aboard such vessels as a Greek oil tanker heading to Europe from the Persian Gulf, a Chinese container ship crossing the Pacific, a Japanese research vessel launching a deepsea submersible, and a 250-foot supply vessel plying the oil fields of the North Sea. Whether it be trade, transportation, research, or defense, the visual scope and detailed research of this book show how sea power affects the world we all inhabit.